Garden club raises funds

WESTPORT The Elizabethtown-Westport Garden Club cast its net wide to attract 115 people to its annual fundraiser.

The 20th annual luncheon-fashion show took place on Aug. 16 at the Normandie Beach Club in Westport, featuring a theme of Fishing for Fashion.

The event featured a light ladies luncheon served up by Normandie staff, and a fashion show. Juliann Sherman, proprietor of the Bessboro Shop in Westport, has participated every year. This year, eight models showed off a variety of transitional clothes, ideal for the fall-into-winter time period. Sherman said the event was a favorite of hers.

Its a chance to set together with a lot of people I know and its fun to go out for lunch and have an occasion, said Sherman.

For 20 years, Marsha Lobdell has been a feature at the The Elizabethtown-Westport Garden Clubs annual show. Carrying a painted cane, Lobdell modeled two outfits coordinated by Sherman.

I love seeing the new fashion, said Lobdell.

Th鲨se Denton of Elizabethown worked with the late Nilah Feltman, Merrice Wyatt and Gaile Meaker to establish the event in 1987, and continued to organized for 14 years.

Denton explained the event was established as the clubs only fundraiser. The club also hosts a Greens Tea in December, but money is donated to local charities.

I think woman are interested in fashion its easy to sell the tickets, said Denton.

Elizabeth Kroeplin, who co-chaired the event with Jean Kerrigan, said publicity was the key to the events success. The club invited seven gardening groups and Red Hatter Clubs to attend.

The challenging part, both Denton and Kreoplin agreed, was creating a theme. This year, fish were fun as table favors and program motifs, with garden club members greets wearing fishing hats and fish plushy accented clothing.

The Elizabethtown-Westport Garden Club meets the first Thursday at the Hale House in Elizabethtown. The meeting starts at 11 a.m., and includes lunch and a program.

Members of the garden club hail from Elizabethtown, Essex, Lewis, Moriah, New Russia, Westport and Willsboro. Membership is not limited to the above towns, and new members are welcome. For information, call 873-6453.